Losing to Gain

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Mark 8:35-37 NLT

What'd He say? Hang on and we lose it? Give it up and we keep it? It's the type of thing that confuses those who don't know Jesus as their Savior. Stuff like the last shall be first, and in our weakness He is strength, or like our text, If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. One of the best - Peace that passes all understanding. It makes no sense to the unbeliever. You really can't get a grasp on it until you have a hold on Jesus.

We're living in perilous times. I catch a lot of conversation from where I sit at work. People worry about everything - the country, their jobs,  their finances, their futures. They're worried about their homes being broken into and being robbed because the news and the Internet keep writing stories of increased robberies and burglaries. It's amazing to hear - it all revolves around money. You mess with people's money and it gets crazy. Of course, if the job (money) is their source for life, it's totally understandable. If that's all they have, what do they do? I don't know. I can't answer that.

That's another one of those wonderful things about the Lord. He is NOT diminished by interest rates or elections or world financial fiascos. He does NOT lose value in tough times or when the Dow tumbles. He is immoveable, unshakeable, Rock solid. You want a better interest rate? Increase your interest in Him. You want job security? He's always looking for workers. You want a financial institution that cannot be affected by today's market or some Fed in Washington? Matthew 6:19-21 NLT reads, (Jesus speaking), Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

How do you store up treasure in heaven? Matthew 19:21 tells us, Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. So let's revisit today's text - If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. Losing to gain. That's upside down. However, if you want a sure thing - there's only One Way...Jesus.

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Prayer:

Father,
             It's true, Your ways are not our ways. We don't always understand. But some things we don't have to understand. Lord, cause us to walk in obedience to Your Word - to walk by faith in You, rather than in what we see. Help our unbelief. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen